HEgod
by Schiuse
Summary: A teenager embarks on a treacherous journey with only an old indian myth to guide him.A myth that he and his fellow travelers are meant 2 complete.When a forbidden love blossoms and a threat to his very life persists,he wonders if he really is the chosen1
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! This is my first fic so I hope you like it! It may be a little confusing at first, but just stick with it. You'll get it! If you're wondering about the title, I didn't just make it up out of nowhere! It does have to do with the story! I promise!! Anyway, here it goes:

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Chapter 1: A Meeting With Fate 

"Adam, pay attention!" Adam hastily turned his head towards Mr. Wutous. "Sorry, sir." Adam stammered quietly. He quickly looked down at his desk to avoid further embarrassment. Unfortunately he could still hear his classmates snicker, and that was almost as bad as actually seeing them. He looked at the paper that was sitting on his desk and imagined that he was in its flawless beauty. He was alone in the cloud of his thoughts and all was quiet. Just the thought soothed him, but not enough to prevent him from blushing.

When Adam finally looked up, he saw the backs of his classmate's heads. Adam was no longer the center of attention, and he couldn't have been more content. He sighed with relief and looked back down at the blank paper on his desk. That's when he realized that something was wrong with the paper, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Then it hit him; the _fact_ that the paper was blank was what was wrong. School was almost over and he hadn't taken any notes! He quickly tried to scribble down notes from the board, but unfortunately he was in a race against time, and time was undoubtedly going to win.

"All right students. Class is over, gather your books and remember to study for the math test tomorrow." Adam tried to slip quickly out the door undetected but was too late, Mr.Wutous caught him. "Adam, stay after class. I need to speak to you." Smirks quickly appeared on his fellow student's faces, they loved it when Adam got in trouble, Or for the past year or so they had. Once Adam had with drawled from them their taunting seemed to follow him everywhere. It didn't used to be that way; in fact he used to be one of the most popular kids in the town. He had a confidence that used to shine through him and drew people towards him. But not anymore, the confidence that had one been so abundant and prominent was now hidden and disappearing little by little. Adam sat back down at his desk thinking about what was, and waited for the classroom to clear. Once it did, Mr. Wutous started talking.

"Adam, what is wrong with you lately? You daydream in my class, you don't take notes anymore, and your grades are steadily dropping." Mr. Wutous waited for Adam to respond, but when he didn't, he continued lecturing. "You are incredibly intelligent, yet your grades are steadily dropping. I recently spoke to your parents to figure out if something in your life has altered and caused this change, but according to them, everything is as it has been for years. So help me out Adam, what is wrong? I know something is on your mind, if you tell me maybe I could help." Mr. Wutous looked at Adam pleadingly.

Adam quickly looked away from the stare and allowed his blue eyes to be covered by his hair; he felt that if their eyes met, Mr. Wutous would be able to see right through him to his very soul where his innermost secrets lurked. There were secrets there that should never be uncovered. Ones that Adam couldn't voice even if he wanted to. Adam knew what was wrong; he had always felt out of place in Gimmer, but for the past year the feeling had become more intense. He felt like he was suffocating, like he had to get out of his hometown if it was the last thing he did. He didn't belong in Gimmer that he was sure of. Figuring out where he did belong was the problem, and the longer he took figuring that out, the more pain he suffered. Concentrating on petty subjects like math seemed so mindless to Adam, but he couldn't tell that to Mr. Wutous. "Nothing is wrong, sir. I apologize for disrupting your class and I promise I'll try harder in my studies." "And what will you do with your old friends? I know for a fact that they didn't used to treat you the way they do know," he asked. Adam hesitated for a second. His teacher's words were like a knife stabbing an open wound. "I'll begin to talk to them again." Adam promised.

Adam saw the look of satisfaction Mr. Wutous's face, but his eyes still showed concern. Adam stood up, and headed toward the door on a second attempt to escape. Unlike the previous try, this time he wasn't called back. He walked through the school hallway and shot outside. He would have been home free, but once he stepped outside he realized something. He had forgotten his books.

Adam stepped back into the school and crept through the halls as silently as possible to avoid detection. When he reached Mr. Wutous's classroom his stomach began to do flips. "I shouldn't be here…" Adam muttered to himself. Students were not allowed in the school building once dismissed. Unless, of course, a teacher called you back. If Adam were caught, he could be kicked out of school for trespassing. No one would care why he had gone back into the school; they would just automatically assume he was up to no good. He would have done anything to be somewhere else. Maybe if he were lucky, Mr. Wutous would be off talking to another teacher. Adam opened the heavy door in front of him, held his breath, and entered the classroom. Fortune smiled upon him, Mr. Wutous was nowhere in sight. He walked over to his desk and grabbed his books. He gathered the notes he had managed to scribble down and prepared to leave when one of his papers flew into the air. Adam looked to the side and saw that a window was open. He cursed at it and ran after his paper. After a short chase, the paper finally landed on Mr. Wutous's desk. Adam walked over to the paper and picked it up. He caught his breath at the sight of what was underneath it. A book. It seemed to be so peculiarly out of place in the classroom, how had he not noticed it? The book wasn't there before, he was sure of it.

It was beautiful, its page's edges glinted in gold and its dazzling maroon cover was adorned with dark blue gems. Adam picked it up slowly and examined the title which lit up as if thrilled to have a reader. The title read, "The Beginning". Adam couldn't help himself; he was too fascinated by the book to leave it. He could no longer think clearly, the book held him in a trance that clouded his thoughts. He grabbed it and ran out of the school. Adam kept the book cradled in his arms protectively while he ran. The book felt warm with life. He kept on running for miles, he refused to stop until his wooden house was towering over him.

When he reached it he fell to the grass with exhaustion and watched clouds pass over him. The water on the wet grass soaked through his clothes. It seeped into his skin and chilled his bones causing him to shake. Once he could no longer stand the cold, he decided to go into his house. Adam prepared himself for a lecture that he was sure to receive from his mother. She hated it when he was late. "How am I going to come up with an excuse this time?" Adam asked himself. Adam opened the dark wooden door of his house thinking of possible excuses. A gust of blistering hot air immediately hit him once he stepped inside. Adam gagged as the smell of something burning met his nostrils. At an instant he switched into defensive mode, something was wrong.

"Sarah, Mom!" Adam screamed

"Adam…" Adam quickly ran towards the sound of his name. He turned a corner and sprinted at the kitchen. With every step he took, the heat beating on his skin intensified. Finally, he reached the kitchen and saw the horrifying sight his little sister huddled in a corner next to the stove. The stove was completely engulfed in fire and Sarah was trapped. Renewed screams of terror shot through the air from Adams sister. Her eyes showed the terror that he was feeling. Helplessness flooded through his body. Adam tried to glance around but his eyes kept watering from the constant heat making it almost impossible to see. Then he noticed something; cabinets next to him towered over the flames! Without a second thought Adam scrambled to the top of them and jumped over the flames. He felt the fire lick at his heels as he soared over. Adam's head landed hard on the floor and he nearly blacked out, but the sight of his sister kept him conscious. He staggered up, and grabbed Sarah.

Sarah's head fell limply on his chest making the tattoo of a deer on her upper back clearly visible. Her breathing was shallow and her heart was beating all too quickly. Adam searched desperately for a way out. The flames were growing and Adam was forced to back up into the wall of the kitchen. Sweat plastered his brown hair to his forehead and his clothes became singed. He was afraid, not for himself but for his sister. He knew that time was running out, the approaching flames kept reminding him. Anger took hold of him. 'How could I have been so stupid? Why couldn't I have just gone inside the house earlier?' Adam scorned himself in his mind. 'Then I could have stopped the fire when it was just beginning and wouldn't be in this situation!' Adam punched the wall in his frustration and was surprised to find that it blistered against the blow. Dry wall. That gave him an idea. He put his sister down away from the flames, backed up as far as the fire would allow him, and ran at the wall with all the strength he could muster.

The area that Adam hit broke apart, and he was through the wall. Pain shot through his body and blood quickly drenched his shirt. The places where Adam was cut by wood stung with such intensity he was barely able to remain on his feet. The cool air felt good on his burnt skin He wanted to just lay down on the grass and feel its moisture seep into his clothes and wet his skin. A dam fought against the weariness that was taking over. He had to get back into the house and save his sister. Adam ran back into the house as fast as he could. He stumbled to the ground twice before reaching the house, but each time he managed to find the strength that allowed him to get back up. When Adam reached the house waves of heat hit him, causing him to sway on his feet.

He felt water dampen his cheeks and he wasn't sure if he was crying or if his eyes were just watering from the blistering air. He found Sarah in the same place he had left her, but the fire was much closer than it had been before. Adam scooped her up and carried her out of the house. Her weight made his arms throb, but he managed to make it outside. He laid her on the ground and stared back at his house. There was only one thought on his mind now; he had to get back into that house. There was something in there that he wouldn't, no couldn't, let burn.

Adam walked as fast as his muscles would allow towards the front of the house and went inside. He was so focused on what he had to get that he didn't even notice the heat on his skin. All he could think of was putting one foot in front of the other. When he reached the kitchen door, he at last found what he had come for. I t was lying on the floor where he had dropped it. It was a book with a title burning as brightly as the fire just feet away. Adam grabbed it, and read the title again as if to assure himself that it was the right one. There was no mistake; he was holding The Beginning once again. Adam was close to collapsing from the weight of his body and was barely able to make it out of the house. When he finally did, his knees buckled and he fell onto the grass with a thump. He felt the cool water seep into his clothes and moisten his cut skin. The last thought before he passed out was of his mother, where could she be? 'She should be here…' Adam felt his eyes close and he lost consciousness.

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Mr. Wutous waited to hear the click of the door that lead outside the school to be sure Adam was gone. Once he heard it, he walked briskly over to his desk, opened the right hand drawer, and pulled out a heavy book. He had been waiting all day to lay eyes on the magnificent book once again. Mr. Wutous moved his hand across the cover and felt the soft leather. There was something special about book. It wasn't just the beauty of it, but something else. The book held its reader in a trance. The leather at his fingers felt warm as if the book were alive. There was life in the book, he knew it, it seemed somewhat similar to the life found in a person.

Mr. Wutous looked up from the book to wipe blonde hair from his face and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. His heart skipped a beat. He was late! He had a meeting to get to. The mayor was waiting! Mr. Wutous put the book down on his desk and opened his window as wide as it would go. He was a short man with a trim frame making slipping through the window easy. He climbed out the window and ran all the way to the center of the town. Climbing out the window would seem to be a strange exit to most people, but Mr. Wutous didn't want anyone asking questions as to why he was in such a hurry. The mayor had made it clear that their meetings were to remain secret. After running for five minutes, Mr. Wutous finally reached the center building.

The building was white with flowered vines clinging to its walls. A stunning garden with a statue of an angel stood at the front of the office. The garden was a symbol to his people, not just of the Mayor. People traveled far and wide to gaze upon it. Gimmer was famous for it. Mr. Wutous was not really sure when the garden had been created, it seemed like it had always been there. He had once met a crazy old traveler when he was a boy. He told a tale of gods creating the world. He spoke of a forbidden love, war, and a beautiful eternal garden to remind all that passed of our tragic history. The garden in the story was said to be this very garden. The tale was very entertaining, but there was no way it was true. All it is and all it will ever be is a story created by a half crazed old man. All that Mr. Wutous did know about the garden was that it was remarkably beautiful and that the shallow pond at the feet of the statue was the clearest water for miles.

Mr. Wutous was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice the approaching footsteps. "A'touch Denouis." A voice said from behind him. He turned around to find the mayor, his brother, staring at him. There was hatred in his eyes, and Mr. Wutous couldn't understand why. He was not sure if he had caused the anger or if it was just from a recent client. The hatred wasn't there when they were kids, it had recently appeared. If one didn't notice the mayor's eyes, one would think him to be a happy fellow. He was short and slightly pudgy with rosy cheeks. He always wore a smile and was generally very approachable. His clothes were always ironed and normally bright colors making it almost impossible to lose sight of him in a crowd. Today his suit jacket and pants were purple. His brown hair was hidden under a white cap that said 'My Lucky Hat' on it.

"I'm sorry?" Mr. Wutous asked "A'touch Denouis. It means water of life and death in the old language." The mayor responded. Mr. Wutous's face was blank. "What are you talking about?" Anger blazed in the mayors' eyes. "Don't be a fool. I'm speaking of the water. You know the tale of the gods creating this garden." Mr. Wutous knew it was not a question but a statement, so he remained silent and his brother continued speaking, "The water is meant to represent Alaria, the goddess that created life and destroyed it. Our ancestors considered her the most powerful of all the gods and goddesses. It is said that if the wounded or the sick drink the water, it will either kill them or revive them depending on what Alaria thought necessary."

"Interesting. Do you believe it?" the question hung in the air for a few moments. Mr. Wutous took this chance to study his brother, or what was left. The man that stood before him was no longer the person that Mr. Wutous had grown up with. Eyes that had once been filled with eagerness were very solemn with a hint of bitterness that only a brother would be able to detect. A face that had once been bright with youth was now full wrinkles. What had been muscle as a young man was now fat that hung over his pants and his collar. The only similarity that Mr. Wutous could find was not even physical, but rather what he was wearing. The mayor had always been daring with the colors he wore and appeared to still be.

Finally the mayor spoke. "It is time to talk about the reason for your presence here. Have you destroyed the book?" He hadn't answered Mr. Wutous's question but Mr. Wutous decided against pressing it. Instead he just shook his head. "Why the hell not! I need that book burned." Mr. Wutous, though intimidated by the mayor, found the strength to yell back. "It is your burden to carry, not mine!" The mayor looked surprised by his brother's outburst, but recovered quickly by responding coldly to Mr. Wutous's words. "You are wrong there. Only you have the ability to destroy it. Magic runs thin in our blood, I did not receive any powers. You did. Only you can produce the flame that will destroy it."

"I will not destroy what I do not understand! What kind of man would that make me?" Once his last word slipped out of his mouth a sensation fell over Mr. Wutous. He could hear an almost indistinct voice in his head. Although the voiced was muffled, it was there. His muscles tensed and his mind became cloudy. Only one word came to him: magic, magic of his brother's. How could it be? He didn't possess any of the powers of the old world. And yet he knew it was so. Everything inside of him told him to obey his brother. He fought the sensation with all the strength he could muster, but he not powerful enough. The magic was beyond him, there wasn't enough power running through his veins to overcome it. As his brother had said, magic ran thin in blood these days.

Eventually his body was taken over and he had no choice but to listen to his brother. He had no strength to fight the power that had taken over. "Go now." The mayor said. Mr. Wutous looked directly into his eyes and saw no remorse. Mr. Wutous didn't understand. How could someone cast a spell on his brother? Suddenly, he felt magic flow through him once more. Only this time it was not magic of his brother, but the familiar flow of his own. A memory from many years ago flashed through his mind. His inner sight saw the crazy old man telling him the story of the garden. Fear flooded through Mr. Wutous, he understood what was happening. He was terrified, but he wouldn't let the monster in front of him have the satisfaction of knowing. He held the stare with his brother and spoke "this isn't you, brother." "Never call me that" The mayor pretended to act as if the comment meant nothing to him, but Mr. Wutous saw concern flash in his eyes.

Mr. Wutous then turned around and walked away briskly. Magic was propelling him back to the school. Once he got there he quickly climbed through his open window. He landed on the floor with a thud and walked over to his desk. Once Mr. Wutous reached his desk he couldn't believe what he saw, or more so what he didn't. The book was gone! Mr. Wutous became even more terrified then he had been when he had been talking to the mayor. The Beginning was no longer in his possession, and he knew that his life might have been lost along with the book.

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Please review!! Now I haven't exactly started the second chapter so I can't really give you a teaser… but hey, how 'bout a brainteaser instead:

How many 7's are there from 1-100?

I'll give you the answer if you review!!! By the way, it's a little bit of a trick question. So don't go with your first answer!


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys, sorry I took so long! Anyway, this chapter is a little confusing too, but you just have to really think about it and it will make sense to you. Well most of it anyway, don't forget you're not supposed to get everything immediately! Where's the fun in that? Well, here goes chapter two!

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**Chapter Two: Dreams Intertwine**

Adam woke up to thousands of stars shining down on him. All were staring, and the feeling of being watched was making him feel uneasy. He tried to stand up, but to his dismay found that his legs were unable to hold under the weight. Adam's sides were throbbing and his body aching. 'What happened to me?' Adam whispered to himself. He looked all around him but nothing seemed to trigger a memory. He was covered in soot, and every blink brought more dust into his eyes making his vision hazy. He was about to give up looking when something caught his attention. It was a book, and beautiful one at that. "The Beginning" he uttered. The words seem to come from deep inside of him.

They brought back a flood of memories. Memories of school, of Mr. Wutous's eyes full of worry, of a paper flying. The images were coming on fast now, he saw a stove engulfed in flame, Sarah trapped against a wall… Sarah! How long had it been since he had saved her? Adam's heart began pounding against his chest and a surge of adrenaline flooded through his body. He tried to stand up again, but instead landed back on the hard ground, so he decided to crawl. He put all of his weight on his hands and moved forward. With every passing second he could feel cuts on his hands opening wider and wider. Blood was flowing freely from his palms but he kept on moving, he had to. Nothing else was on his mind. All he saw was the grass and stones in front of him, all that he thought about was putting one arm in front of the other.

After a long, painful crawl, Adam finally reached the back yard. Before he knew it, he was hovering above his sister with sinking hope. He stared down at the small body in front of him and felt tears begin to form in the corners of his jade eyes. Sarah seemed so lifeless, her countenance devoid of emotion. Adam reached down and stroked her cheek. Sarah's eyes flickered open at his touch. She looked up at him, and then smiled. The grin seemed completely out of place to Adam, but it was so genuine that he couldn't help but smile back. He would never forget that smile, for it was his sister's last. His emotions were welling up inside of him and he felt a small tear slide down his cheek at leisurely pace. Sarah reached up slowly and wiped the tear away. Her chocolate brown eyes showed no pain, just complete serenity. Adam could feel her leaving him, and he couldn't stop her. She whispered, "Fire is at my fingertips…" Adam's creased his eyebrows, "What do you mean?" He pleaded softly. In response, Sarah reached for his hand, silencing him. Her grip was so weak, and Adam could see the light disappearing from her eyes.

Adam gathered her in his arms protectively. "No! Don't go…" He whispered hoarsely, barely able to speak. "You can fight through this, I know you can." His voice was quivering with emotion and his vision blurred with tears. Sarah looked at him with a distant look on her face. She leaned her head against Adam's shoulder and closed her eyes.

Adams body began to tremble and his throat quickly swelled. He shook Sarah screaming as loud as he could, "Come back! Come back…" He bit his upper lip to fight back the tears and the taste of a salty liquid filled his mouth. Adam's mark of an eagle on the back of his neck began to burn with anger and he punched the ground next to his sister's limp body. 'No, it's not limp.' He thought to himself. 'Its not, she's alive.' Memories of his sister flowed through his mind; he had just lost his best friend. 'No, I haven't lost her', he quickly told himself. Adam began to panic. He closed his eyes tightly against the throbbing of his head. His mind was racing, when suddenly a sharp pain shot up his arm and the familiar feeling of magic flooded through his body. The pain from the tattoo on his neck became almost unbearable. Adam looked down at where the pain had started to find flames bursting out of his right palm. The patch of grass where his hand had been resting ignited and its flames burned brightly against the night sky.

Sweat was trickling down his back and the hair on his neck was standing up straight. The feeling of being watched was ever present. Adam glanced up at the night sky and the innocent twinkling of the stars returned his gaze. He looked back down at his sister and then the surrounding forest. For the first time, Adam took in his surroundings. His former house was destroyed; all that was left were the embers of the vast fire that had claimed it. He stood up, his magic giving him new energy, and walked towards the debris.

Every object, every piece of burnt wood, brought on a memory of his sister. Hot tears flowed down Adams cheeks and burned his cuts. He needed help, and the only person that he could think of was his mom, and he still had no idea where she was. Adam forced his mind to slow down and his heaving chest to settle. He relaxed and allowed magic to flow through his body. Once he could feel the power pulsing through every inch, he left his physical body and reached out for his mother, his powers guiding him. Adam quickly realized that she was not close, so he reached out father. He began to feel a resistance, and resistance quickly turned into pain. Adam felt a new, yet strangely familiar magic rush through him. It was stabbing at him and taking control of his spirit. Adam was losing more and more power with every second that passed. He tried to stab back at his attacker, and it retreated slightly in surprise. Adam took this chance to flee back into his physical body. He could feel the other spirit chasing him as he went, but Adam was too quick and was able to make it back safely.

He was unable to move once he was back in his body. All that he could do was wait for the mobility to return, and Adam knew he wouldn't be able to wait for long. He stared up at the night sky suspiciously, he felt uncomfortable under its eyes. Adam could feel something coming, something with powers that he had no chance of measuring up to. Each minute brought it closer, and all he could was lay on the ground and wait. Adam looked down at his legs and willed them bend, but they wouldn't budge. His heart was pounding hard against his chest and his breathing was ragged. The tattoo on his neck was ablaze as the magic from whatever was approaching came closer. Adam looked back down at his legs, hoping they would move. To his delight, this time they obeyed, but not effortlessly. He forced himself up, but his legs still felt like a ton of bricks and moving them was about as difficult.

Adam walked first towards the book he so desperately wanted, its shining cover made it easy to find, but it still did take some time and every second was precious. Each minute took away more of his strength, whatever was after him was incredibly close. In a rush, he walked in the direction of close forest that surrounded his house, or what used to be his house. Upon reaching the edge of the trees, he turned around, faced his sister and ashes of his childhood, and whispered goodbye. A feeling in the pit of his stomach told him that he wasn't going to return any time soon.

"Turn around, and don't look back." He told himself. Adam looked back into the dark woods, took a deep breath, and walked on with "The Beginning" gribbed close to his chest.

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Shea looked at the surrounding forest and sighed. She and her companions had seen nothing but tree canopies for days, and she desperately wanted the clear blue skies of day to replace the tangled branches above her. Luckily, the roof above her head was thinning, and more and more of the sun's rays were finding their way past the tightly woven trees. For now she would just have to content herself with that, but she couldn't help but yearn to see the sunset she knew was approaching. A feeling of hope was fluttering in her chest. 'We'll be reaching a new town soon,' Shea thought to herself. 'Maybe this wild goose chase will finally be over.'

She had taken it upon herself to find the largest pool of sunlight to rest in, and after a few minutes of searching she finally found one to her liking. Shea threw herself to the leaf-ridden floor and let the sun warm her skin. Her body was happy for the much-needed rest and she allowed herself to relax for the first time in what felt like months.

Shea glanced around at her fellow travelers. Her eyes fell on Ashoka, the closest one, as usual. He never strayed far from her side, she had come to think of him as a shadow. He was seated on a rock with his long legs dangling over one of its sides. His long black hair was pinned up in a taut bun and his eyes were closed tightly as if he was trying to force himself to sleep. Wrinkles fanned out from his eyes, and the shallow wrinkles on his dark forehead deepened against the strain. Despite his young age, his resemblance to and old man was undeniable.

Ashoka was a kind at heart, but the death of his family had forced him into the adult world at the young age of eleven. The transition had hardened him until he was close to the point of no feeling. Seven years had past since the dreadful day when Ashoka's parent's lives were claimed, and yet pain was still evident in his dark eyes, but only Shea could see it. The gnawing sting that his parents had left him with forced him to create a shell, one of protection. Most people only saw that shell. Were a passerby to glance at him, he or she would most definitely think him to be a harsh man, but he wasn't. Shea forced herself to look away from Ashoka, and instead at the other members of the small group.

The rest of her group was scattered around the rest area, all in different sleep positions. There was Geysa and Feater, who were sleeping in the outskirts of the opening, the twins Ingst and Amial, who were both resting at the trunk of a large tree, Yena who had made a spot on a thick branch of the same tree, and Shea's favorite, Bo, who was nestled in a bed of leaves. He of course had a grin on his face; even in sleep he was as cheerful as anything.

The only one missing was Ibsen, but that wasn't unusual. He had left the group many times throughout their journey. Shea missed him whenever he left, he was a good person to have around. He was a fatherly figure and made her feel safe.

Shea could feel her eyes growing heavy, and she didn't even try to fight against it. She welcomed the sleep, and in seconds the world around her disappeared and she drifted into a shallow slumber.

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Shea saw a tower of flames dance before her with such ferocity and anger she felt weak at its feet, yet compelled to take it on. She walked towards the massive barrier at a fast pace and entered the bright fire, drawn by something within. Upon entry, the flames changed into a menacing blue color and felt unexpectedly bone chilling. She looked from left to right but all she could see was the dark blue of fire. Her heart beat faster but her feet never hesitated, they knew the way.

While walking Shea could feel something pulling at her thoughts, her inner being, yet all her legs did was walk faster. She wanted to scream for help, anything, but not a sound would leave her throat. The flames continued to tug, taking more and more of her as time passed. Tears were running down her cheeks as she walked, until finally she reached an end to the maze. Her heart was beating more rapidly as she approached the finish and her feet moved faster, lured by an unexplainable power.

Once she breached the flames everything fell away. Shea looked around her only to see endless blackness. The fire was nowhere in sight. Her heart was pounding in her ears, but if not for that all was quiet in the black void. Stricken almost powerless by the fire, Shea collapsed to the ground. She laid down on her back and stared at the sky above her. To her surprise, light started to penetrate through the darkness and bathe her face in its light. The brave stars created enough illumination for her to see a sleek figure flying through the air.

The creature swooped through the heavens effortlessly with such precision and beauty all Shea could do was watch in awe. Without warning, the magnificent animal dove down at her driving its sharp beak into her shoulder. The impact drove her hard into the ground and blood stained the earth beneath her. Everything around her began to spin and Shea felt the ground below give away. She dropped into the night. As time passed she fell faster and faster, constantly picking up speed when suddenly she landed in something soft.

Water rushed in at her from all sides and stung the fresh wound on her shoulder. Using her remaining energy, Shea sat up in the shallow water and quickly concluded it was a small pond. Dense forest surrounded the small opening, which normally would make it very dark, but strangely it wasn't. The pond at Shea's feet was glowing with strange intensity lighting up the area around it. Shea looked down at the pond expecting to see her wavy reflection. Yet, gazing back up at her was not the face she had expected to see. In its place stood a large, proud wolf with a white, shaggy mane. It stared at her with intense green eyes, familiar eyes.

The dripping from her wet clothes began to make the image hazy, but it didn't matter. The wolf was clearly printed in her mind. Her whole body trembled and her legs gave away allowing her to fall into the pond. The soil and water welcomed her, became one with her. Everything else was gone; there was only she and the glorious water. There was neither pain nor suffering. Only a strange sense of loss, but eventually even that disappeared. Everything that made her an individual ceased to exist.

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I hope you liked it! I haven't started the next chapter yet but hopefully I'll have it started and done soon. PLEASE REVIEW!!! Oh, and, you'll get why Adam hasn't opened the book yet soon. I think in the next chapter he will… I haven't decided…


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